Thomas renwick



(No Model;)

- T. RENWICK.

A I GAME APPARATUS.

No. 602,187. Patented Apr. 12, 1898.'

' FIE. l.

m: n'onnls PETERS cop mmouwa. WASNlNUTON, 5.0

NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

THOMAS RENWICK, OF MIAMI, CANADA.

GAM E APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,187, dated April 12, 1898.

Application filed July 12, 1897. Serial No, 644,170. (No model) Patented in Canada July 16, 1897, No. 56,673.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS RENWIOK, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Miami, in the county of Dufferin, Province of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, (for which Letters Patent of the Dominion of Canada have been granted, dated July 16, 1897, No. 56,673;) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to game apparatus; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the game apparatus. Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line a; a; in Fig. 1.

A is a square base-board having compartments at at its corners, in which the balls or marbles b, which are used by the players in playing the game, are placed.

B is a hollow pyramid which is placed on the base-board. The edges of the pyramid are set at a little distance from the retainingledge b of the base-board. The pyramid is preferably made in two parts, which may be taken apart and the upper part placed within the lower part for convenience in shipping the game apparatus. The pyramid is provided with a hole C at its apex and holes D E F in its sides. Each side has the same number of holes, the similar holes being at the same distances from the apex of the pyramid on each side. The space inside the pyramid is divided into three compartments D E F by partitions g, the said compartments being under the respective holes D E F of the sides.

G is an ejector or volcano tube let into the hole C at the apex of the pyramid and supported by a cross-bar g underneath it. A spring H is placed in the bottom of the tube G and is arranged to actuate a piston h in the tube.

H is a catch pivoted to the side of the tube the piston in its depressed position when the piston has been depressed into engagement with the catch by means of a stick or pencil. When a ball or marble drops into the tube, it displaces the catch and is then ejected by the spring-actuated piston.

J is a spring-gun for shooting the balls or marbles. Each player preferablyhas a separate springun, and any number of players, not exceeding four, can use the apparatus at one time. The spring-gun consists of a'tube having a slot j in its side and a spring-actuated piston J, provided with alugj,which projects through the said slot.

Each player has balls or marbles of differ ent color from those of the other players.

Each player in turn places his spring-gun against the side of the pyramid and shoots a ball upward, so that it may fall through one of the holes of the pyramid. The hole C or ejector-tube counts highest, and the other holes count less in any desired proportion. The balls collect in the compartments inside the pyramid, and the pyramid is "removed from the base-board periodically,'so that the balls in the compartments can be counted.

By employing the use of the compartments D, E, and F, I am enabled to make the game more interesting, inasmuch as the balls or marbles can only pass into the different compartments by passing through the openings leading into the respective compartments. By making these openings indicate different values it is apparent that the game becomes interesting, and if there were no corresponding compartments it would be impossible to make a correct count of the score made by the player.

What I claim is 1. In a game apparatus, the combination, with a pyramid provided with a hole at its apex, of an ejector-tube let into the said hole and provided with a'spring-actuated piston, and a catch projecting within the said tube and normally holding the said piston depressed, substantially as set forth.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination,

position, said catch being adapted to release said piston upon the introduction of aball or marble in said tube, guides for the catch on' the side of the tube, and an elastic band encircling the said tube and catch, substan tially as set forth.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination with a base-board having compartments; and a hollow pyramid placed over said compartments, said pyramid being provided With openings arranged in series; of means for antomatically ejecting the ball or marble when the same has passed into the central opening, substantially as described.

5. In a game apparatus, the combination with a pyramid provided with an opening at its apex; of an ejector-tube connected with to be released automatically by the action ofthe ball or marble passing into said tube, substantially as described.

6. In a game apparatus, the combination with a base-board provided with a series of compartments; of a removable hollow pyramid placed over said compartments, said pyramid being provided with openings arranged in series, corresponding in position to the position of said compartments; balls or marbles adapted to be passed over said pyramid and through said openings; and means, secured to said pyramid for passing said balls or marbles over said pyramid.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of Witnesses.

THOMAS RENWICK.

Witnesses:

J. II. PEARCE, M. E. RENWICK. 

